1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, a terminal apparatus, and an image processing system. More specifically, the present invention relates to an image processing apparatus capable of performing a box function to store and process electronic documents and image data.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image forming apparatus (e.g., printer, facsimile apparatus, copying machine, and multifunction peripheral), when connected to a network, can possess a box function for storing a document into a box area (storage unit), for example, from a hard disk.
For example, a message (e.g., facsimile) store and forward switching apparatus discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-145493 sets storage areas of programs for respective boxes. The programs are automatically executed by a message processing device immediately before/after performing message registration processing and immediately before/after outputting the message.
The following processing can be automatically executed according to the programs.
The first processing includes deleting all messages remaining in a box, registering a new message into a box, and generating a reception notice to a facsimile machine of a box owner.
The second processing includes transmitting any news/information from an administrator before the message is output from the box. The third processing includes transmitting a delivery notification to a message sender when the message is output from the box. The fourth processing includes converting the message output from the box into a data format that a message recipient can process.
Exemplary processing discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-227476 includes setting details of document processing for changing the contents of a document in a box and automatically executing the document processing on the document stored in the box when predetermined execution conditions are satisfied.
The processing being automatically executed is, for example, changes/modifications on document creation date, document file name, issue division, acknowledgment field, and document number.
There are four execution conditions. The first execution condition is reception of documents from a predetermined transmitter.
The second execution condition is registration of a predetermined number of box documents. The third execution condition is completion of document content change processing performed on the box documents. The fourth execution condition is elapse of a predetermined setting time.
However, when any processing is performed on a box document, the above-described conventional technique does not check whether the processing to be executed is acknowledged by an owner user of the box.
For example, after document 1 of user A is stored in a box, the contents of the box execution processing may change without permission of the user A. The document 1 may be subjected to the processing not requested or recognized by the user A.
Namely, the conventional techniques deal with the method for easily processing documents within the box, however, are unable to prevent a box document from being modified which an owner user of this document does not request or recognize.
Therefore, the conventional techniques cannot assure a satisfactory security protection for the box document.
The image forming apparatus has similar problems if its storage unit can store other data, such as image, electronic data, print job, and scan job.